Page 336 - Lanzarotto Malocello from Italy to the Canary Islands

336 from Italy to the Canary Islands

Brave precursors:

The Vivaldi brothers

round the first half of the eleventh century, the Knights Hospi-
tallers in Jerusalem were entrusted with the care and defence of the
pilgrims going to the Holy Land; originally called the Knights of
the Benedictine Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, they came
to be known as the Knights of Rhodes and later, the Knights of Malta.
In 1229, the Order of the Hospitallers took control of the citadel of
Acre, considered at length the “Key of Palestine” due to its dominant po-
sition over the coast; it connected to the inland plain of Esdraelon (Jezreel
Valley), making it easier to go farther into the region. It was soon to be-
come the last stronghold of the Crusader state.
Although it was an Ottoman fortification, the citadel of Acre had indeed
been built by the Order of the Hospitallers in order to perfect the city’s
defensive system by reinforcing the northern wall.
After the fall of Acre and the last Christian strongholds in the Middle
East, overland routes to the spice trade had become impassable; an alterna-
tive trade route was needed.
Since their discovery, spices have had a very important function in
history. The use of spices was widespread among the ancient Egyptians;
around 2600 BC, spicy foods were provided to the slaves engaged in the
construction of the pyramid of Cheops with the essential aim of keeping
up their strength. It was believed that adding spices to food would protect
against epidemics.
At that time, most of the spices came from India.
In the ancient and medieval world, spices were most valuable, the open-
ing of new trade routes was clearly justified.